Sponsored links

I am so grateful to see an articulate well reasoned article out in the mainstream. Please continue to be that kind of writer for equal rights. I spent quite a while upvoting self described feminist comments there — not something that is often possible! Some of them ‘got it’! Amazing.

What next? HuffPo? Slate? Ok, ok, not so fast ….

A super article. May there be many more.

richard

That site is like, garbage. Are you sure you want your articles posted there? Every article is trollish and annoying and mostly intended to generate clicks from outrage. You are as articulate as ever but i think the site makes you look bad by association.

Rory, the whole discussion gives me a headache because it’s just so damn complicated. I don’t think it’s a “no-brainer” at all.

Perhaps I can offer some clarification on why I do not oppose abortion. Part of the reason is simply pragmatic: abortion is not going to stop. It can be safe or unsafe. But the larger part has to do with abortion being a necessary, socially sanctioned use of lethal force, like self-defense laws, war or the death penalty. I realize there is something very grotesque about comparing unborn humans to intruders or combatants or violent criminals, but in a certain sense, to the women who would prefer those children be dead – they are. I’m not a fan of abortion, by any means, and late term abortions make me physically ill, but we have to decide whose autonomy and life will take precedence: the woman or the child. I don’t see any way around that conundrum. And I come down firmly in favor of the woman. I am more than willing to reconsider my beliefs though – this is a tricky, horrid, awful subject – we are discussing the killing of infants. I don’t see this as dramatically different than sacrificing lives in a necessary war – I suppose that is the sticking point: are reproductive rights a necessary war? I would say yes, and I would like to see both men and women have them.

Ter

I think if women have the right to walk away from parenthood after the child is born then they should at least be obligated to pay child support. i.e. Men don’t have the right to walk away – and yet they are obligated for child support.

JB, I’m a feminist who believes in equal rights, and I 100% agree with your piece. If men can’t force women to carry or terminate, women shouldn’t force men to pay when they decide alone to have the baby. Just wanted you to know that not all feminists believe women are inherently entitled to men’s earning power. I think that needs to be said.